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Инвестиционный директор компании Bitwise Мэтт Хоуган (Matt Hougan) предположил, что в следующем десятилетии рынок криптовалют вырастет в 10–20 раз, причем без особого напряжения.

Руководитель Управления контролера денежного обращения Министерства финансов США (OCC) Джонатан Гулд (Jonathan Gould) заявил, что криптокомпании, претендующие на банковскую лицензию, должны регулироваться по аналогии с остальными финансовыми учреждениями.

In the wake of the GENIUS Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July, attention is now turning to the CLARITY Act, commonly known as the crypto market structure bill. This legislation has encountered substantial delays, exacerbated by the recent government shutdown and a lack of consensus in Congress.

Bank Leaders To Engage With Congress On Key Crypto Topics

This week, the CEOs of Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America are scheduled to meet with both Republican and Democratic senators to discuss the evolving legislation surrounding crypto market structure. 

The meetings are set for Thursday, and congressional staff have indicated that the CEOs would welcome the chance to share insights on US Global Systemically Important Bank (GSIB) market structure priorities.

The bank leaders are anticipated to hold separate discussions with lawmakers from both parties, emphasizing collaboration to shape effective policies that position the United States as a leader in crypto assets. Among the topics on the agenda are bank permissibility, interest payments, and concerns surrounding illicit finance. 

Senate Faces Hurdles

Recent updates on social media platform X (previously Twitter) from Eleanor Terret of Crypto In America, also indicate that obtaining a markup for the crypto market structure bill before the Christmas break poses challenges. 

Senator Mark Warner has expressed concerns about pending language from the White House regarding two critical components of the bill—ethics and quorum. 

Warner noted the importance of addressing these issues thoughtfully, stating that bipartisan discussions are ongoing, yet productive progress is essential.

The Senate’s approach to the legislation is further complicated by its division into two committees: the Banking Committee, which oversees securities laws, and the Agriculture Committee, which focuses on commodities law. 

Both committees have released drafts of their work during the fall, with markup sessions—the process for voting on amendments before a full Senate vote—upcoming. However, both committees are proceeding cautiously due to unresolved issues.

Senators Demand Conflict Of Interest Provisions

The most pressing concerns include the treatment of stablecoin yields, potential conflicts of interest, and the regulatory approach to decentralized finance (DeFi). 

Some Democratic senators have indicated that they will not support the legislation unless it includes provisions addressing any possible conflicts relating to the President’s family and their business involvements in the crypto realm. 

Moreover, while market structure legislation primarily targets centralized platforms managing user funds, there is a push from the traditional finance sector to classify virtually all crypto-related entities, including developers and validators, as intermediaries.

Market analyst MartyParty provided an encouraging update on December 4, noting that the bipartisan crypto market structure bill is gaining momentum in Congress. 

A markup session with the Senate Banking Committee has been tentatively scheduled for December 17-18, just prior to the holiday recess.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

22-летний житель американского штата Калифорния Эван Танжман (Evan Tangeman) признал вину в отмывании денег для группы преступников, похитивших 4100 биткоинов.

Ripple has become the most aggressively structured bet in blue-chip crypto after a group of major Wall Street firms wired about $500 million into the company in November, lifting its valuation to roughly $40 billion and making it one of the highest-valued private players in the sector. Bloomberg reported that Ripple’s share sale brought in some of the biggest names of Wall Street but only after investors secured a suite of downside protections.

Wall Street Goes All-In On Ripple

The investor line-up reads like a who’s who of modern market structure: Citadel Securities, Fortress Investment Group, Marshall Wace, Brevan Howard–linked vehicles, Galaxy Digital and Pantera Capital all participated, treating the round at least as much as a structured credit trade as a venture bet.

According to multiple accounts of the deal, several funds underwrote Ripple essentially as a concentrated exposure to XRP itself. Bloomberg’s reporting states that multiple investors concluded at least 90% of Ripple’s net asset value was tied to XRP, with the company controlling about $124 billion of the token at market prices in July.

That XRP cushion has already been tested. XRP is down roughly 40% from its mid-July peak and about 15–16% since late October, yet even after that drawdown, estimates in deal coverage still put the company’s XRP treasury in the tens of billions of dollars, with a large portion locked in escrow and released gradually over time.

The protection that Wall Street insisted on has become the defining feature of the deal. Investors secured the right to sell their shares back to Ripple after three or four years at a guaranteed 10% annualized return, unless the company has gone public by then.

Ripple, conversely, can force a buyback in those same windows only by delivering about 25% annually. On top of that, the funds negotiated a liquidation preference, giving them priority over legacy shareholders in a sale or insolvency.

The numbers involved are non-trivial. FinTech Weekly estimates that if the put option were exercised in full at the four-year mark, Ripple’s cash outlay would approach $700 million–$730 million, irrespective of operating performance or token prices at the time. Those obligations sit alongside an already heavy capital agenda: Ripple has agreed to buy prime-brokerage platform Hidden Road for roughly $1.3 billion and corporate-treasury specialist GTreasury for about $1 billion, while also confirming it has repurchased more than 25% of its outstanding shares.

Banks and trading desks are now treating the November round as a new reference point for crypto credit risk. FinTech Weekly reports that “those terms are now shaping how banks, funds, and trading desks assess Ripple’s balance sheet, exit risk, and future liquidity,” with the three- and four-year exit windows being modeled explicitly alongside XRP price scenarios and rate curves.

Ripple’s management maintains there is “no plan, no timeline” for an IPO, but the structure of the deal effectively date-stamps its private capital: either the company lists or finds new liquidity on favorable terms before the put windows open, or it must fund a secured, fixed-return exit for some of the most sophisticated players on Wall Street.

At press time, XRP traded at $2.0498.

За год общие балансы первой криптовалюты на централизованных биржах снизились на 403 200 BTC. Это является положительным сигналом, считают аналитики платформы Santiment.

Just a week after announcing its $1.44 billion USD Reserve, Strategy has made a Bitcoin purchase of nearly $1 billion, one of the largest for 2025.

Strategy Has Made Its Ninth Largest Bitcoin Buy Of The Year

In a new post on X, Strategy co-founder and chairman Michael Saylor has shared info related to the latest routine Monday Bitcoin purchase made by the treasury company.

While the timing of the buy is routine, its scale is not. In total, Strategy has added 10,624 BTC to its holdings with the acquisition. This is the biggest purchase since July’s 21,021 BTC mega-buy.

The new acquisition has cost the firm $90,615 per token or $962.7 million in total. In USD terms, this is the ninth largest addition to the company’s Bitcoin reserves.

This big purchase has come a week after Strategy announced a new shift for the company with its $1.44 billion USD reserve. Saylor said that the reserve will better position the firm to navigate short-term volatility.

The announcement was also accompanied by the usual Monday Bitcoin buy, but at just 130 tokens, it was a relatively small one. If the latest acquisition is to go by, however, the USD reserve doesn’t seem to be stopping Strategy in hoarding more of the cryptocurrency.

According to the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the new buy, which occurred in the period between December 1st and 7th, was funded using sales of the firm’s STRD and MSTR at-the-market (ATM) stock offerings.

Strategy now holds a total of 660,624 BTC, with an average cost basis of $74,696 per coin or total investment of $49.35 billion. At the current price of the asset, the Bitcoin treasury company’s holdings are worth about $59.68 billion, which means that it’s sitting on a profit of nearly 21% right now.

In some other news, while Strategy has continued its Bitcoin accumulation, the same hasn’t been true for another side of the sector: the spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

The spot ETFs refer to investment vehicles that allow investors to gain indirect exposure to BTC. That is, the funds hold the cryptocurrency on behalf of the investors, enabling them to invest into the asset without having to bother with the on-chain side of things.

Since mid-October, the US Bitcoin spot ETFs have mostly faced waves of net outflows as the cryptocurrency’s price has followed a bearish trajectory. The last week of November registered a small positive netflow, however, breaking a streak of four consecutive weeks of outflows.

This turnaround didn’t last, though, with the latest week once again ending with net outflows, as the below chart from SoSoValue shows.

The outflows were only modest, coming out at about $87.8 million, but still indicate lingering pessimism in the market.

BTC Price

Bitcoin broke above $92,000 earlier in the day, but the coin has since faced a pullback as it’s now back at $89,900.

Глобальная бычья структура рынка биткоина сохранилась, но сейчас он перешел в тактически хрупкую стадию, заявил аналитик платформы CryptoQuant Аксель Адлер младший (Axel Adler Jr).

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concluded its Biden-era probe into DeFi platform Ondo Finance, and whether its tokenized products complied with federal securities laws, without any charges, following the Trump administration’s pro-industry approach and focus on tokenization.

Case Closes: SEC Ends Ondo Finance Probe

On Monday, Ondo Finance announced it had received formal notice that the US SEC’s two-year investigation into the platform, which started during the Biden administration, had concluded in late November with no charges.

The platform now joins the list of crypto companies that have seen their cases and probes dismissed or closed without any enforcement actions this year, including Gemini, Kraken, Ripple, Coinbase, and Uniswap Labs.

The SEC initiated the probe in 2024 to examine whether firms’ tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWA) complied with federal securities laws, the platform explained. Additionally, it sought to determine whether the ONDO token was a security.

“Ondo’s growth and leadership in the emerging tokenization category made us a focus, but not a justified target,” the announcement added. At the time, the US regulatory environment was characterized by a “regulation by enforcement” approach, which led to caution and confusion.

Nonetheless, they “remained steadfast in its conviction that regulated, transparent tokenization models like Ondo’s are not only compatible with investor-protection principles, but can strengthen them.”

To Ondo Finance, this marks a “meaningful milestone” for the broader tokenization industry, which will push innovation, compliance, security, and investor protection forward, as the sector gains momentum and becomes a priority on the federal agency’s agenda.

It’s worth noting that Ondo has solidified its position as a leader in the RWA sector with strategic partnerships, expansions, and the launch of its own Layer-1 blockchain, which aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance.

As reported by Bitcoinist, the firm aims to advance its mission to “democratize” access to high-quality US financial assets and ensure tokenized assets move seamlessly across major blockchains.

A New Chapter For Tokenized Securities

In the Monday statement, the platform also highlighted that the SEC’s decision reflects a broader shift in US policy, with regulators reassessing the methods used during the Biden era for the crypto industry. Earlier this year, a White House report recognized the sector as foundational to the future of the global financial system and named Ondo Finance among the key players.

Notably, the regulatory agency has added tokenization to its formal agenda. In the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee meeting last week, the regulatory agency affirmed it is evaluating tokenization to modernize the issuance, trading, and settlement of public equities.

In his remarks, SEC chairman Paul Atkins stated, “Distributed ledger technology and the tokenization of financial assets, including securities, have the potential to transform our capital markets. Our financial markets have long been the envy of the world, and to ensure that they remain so, U.S. firms and investors must have the opportunity to leverage this technology as they lead the future of global capital markets.”

Atkins added that the agency’s role is to enable market participants to operate and innovate under clear guardrails, ensuring that the US markets remain the most dynamic, transparent, and trusted in the world.

“The resolution of the SEC inquiry marks the end of one chapter for Ondo and the beginning of another. Put simply, the time is now for tokenized securities to become a core part of U.S. capital markets. The future of global finance, including U.S. capital markets, will be onchain and Ondo will help lead that transition,” the announcement concluded.

Комиссия по ценным бумагам и биржам США (SEC) завершила двухлетнее расследование в отношении криптопроекта Ondo Finance, ориентированного на токенизацию реальных активов, без предъявления ему обвинений.

В 2026 году в России будет введена уголовная ответственность за незаконный майнинг, заявил на Совете по стратегическому развитию и национальным проектам вице-премьер Александр Новак.

Digital asset exchange Coinbase has restarted crypto trading in India after a two-year absence, with fiat deposits planned to arrive in 2026.

Coinbase Has Returned To India For The First Time Since 2023

As reported by TechCrunch, Coinbase has resumed user onboarding in India for the first time since pulling out of the country back in 2023, more than two years ago. The American crypto exchange ranks as the largest public digital asset company in the world, hosting around $516 billion in assets on its platform.

Initially, the exchange first entered India in 2022, but only a few days after beginning services, it had to suspend UPI payments. UPI, short for Unified Payments Interface, is the most widely adopted real-time digital payments instrument in India. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) had said shortly after Coinbase’s launch that it wasn’t aware of any crypto exchange using UPI.

With UPI access gone, Coinbase users no longer had a way to purchase digital assets on the platform using fiat. The exchange stopped new user signups in June 2023, with a complete discontinuation of services happening in September 2023.

“We had millions of customers in India, historically, and we took a very clear stance to off-board those customers entirely from overseas entities, where they were domiciled and regulated,” said Coinbase’s APAC director, John O’Loghlen, at India Blockchain Week (IBW). O’Loghlen added that the decision to pull out didn’t come without hesitation.

Fast-forward to 2025, and Coinbase announced in March that it had registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), allowing it to provide crypto services in the country. The platform opened in early access in October, and now, it has seen a full public launch. So far, users can only access crypto-to-crypto trading, but according to O’Loghlen, a fiat on-ramp is planned to become available next year. This would allow users to buy digital assets using the Indian Rupee (INR).

While India isn’t closed off to cryptocurrencies like its northern neighbor, China, it still has a relatively strict digital-asset regulation regime. The nation collects a 30% tax on investor crypto profits and allows for no offsets against losses. Additionally, it charges a 1% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on all transactions, as a method of tracking digital asset activity.

Naturally, this taxation regime isn’t ideal for crypto companies, as it directly affects adoption. O’Loghlen said that Coinbase is hoping the Indian government will relax the tax to make it more convenient for investors to hold digital assets.

Reopening its exchange isn’t the only move that Coinbase has made in the subcontinent recently. As announced on its blog, the platform has made an investment in Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX. “Taken together, these steps reflect a clear commitment: we believe India and its neighbors will help shape the future of the global onchain economy,” noted the post.

Bitcoin Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $91,800, up more than 7% over the last week.

The coming week concentrates macro and protocol-specific catalysts into a tight window, with the Federal Reserve’s FOMC decision and several high-profile project events landing between December 10 and 12.

#1 Crypto On Alert: Fed’s Dec. 10 Rate Decision

The US Federal Reserve’s FOMC interest rate decision on Dec. 10 looms as a key macro catalyst for crypto. Markets overwhelmingly expect a 25 bps rate cut – about an 87% probability according to Fed funds futures– which would lower the target rate to ~3.5–3.75%. Such a move would be the third cut in as many meetings, signaling a pivot to easing as the Fed prioritizes a faltering job market over inflation.

Bitcoin (BTC) has historically reacted sharply to Fed surprises: BTC often faces downward pressure into FOMC announcements, then significant volatility as markets parse the Fed’s language. Indeed, ahead of this meeting, BTC dipped below $88,000 over the weekend on “FOMC nerves” but quickly jumped back above $91,000.

If the Fed delivers the expected 0.25% cut, it could bolster crypto by improving liquidity conditions and risk appetite. Easing financial conditions have been core to the recent crypto rebound. Any dovish signals may prompt a relief rally in BTC and the broader crypto market.

However, a hawkish surprise – if the Fed were to hold rates steady or sound cautious – risks upsetting this fragile optimism. As reported on NewsBTC, a special focus will be on whether the Fed announces a new program for Treasury bill purchases.

#2 Solana’s Breakpoint (Dec. 11–13)

Solana’s Breakpoint conference kicks off Dec. 11 in Abu Dhabi, and traders are eyeing SOL’s price action around this flagship event. Breakpoint has a track record of stirring excitement – and volatility – in SOL. At the 2023 conference in Amsterdam, for example, SOL surged over 20% to a 14-month high (~$45) as a “flurry of announcements” (like Jump Crypto’s Firedancer client and Google Cloud integrations) dropped during the event.

This year, investors are anticipating major updates once again. The full launch of Firedancer (a high-performance Solana validator) and new ecosystem partnerships are rumored, and Breakpoint acts on investors like a magnet, usually triggering strong FOMO ahead of anticipated news.

If Solana’s team delivers headline-worthy developments, SOL could rally, as happened last year when announcements at Breakpoint corresponded with a price spike. Conversely, if the conference hype fades without new catalysts, short-term traders might take profit. Still, sentiment is clearly bullish going in.

#3 Do Kwon Sentencing (Dec. 11)

The long-awaited sentencing of Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon on Dec. 11 could mark a climactic chapter in the Terra/Luna saga. Kwon’s legal fate is largely sealed after he pleaded guilty to fraud in August, but the severity of punishment matters for the market psyche.

US prosecutors have asked for the maximum 12-year prison term for Kwon’s role in the $40 billion Terra meltdown. Paradoxically, traders have taken this bad news as bullish fuel: when the DOJ’s 12-year recommendation hit headlines, LUNC spiked 130% in a day, suggesting speculators see a tough sentence as a form of closure.

The actual sentencing on Dec. 11 could thus be a “sell the news” moment if those gains are purely hype-driven. Any outcome within expectations may prompt profit-taking after the event.

#4 Bittensor’s First TAO Halving (Dec. 12)

Bittensor (TAO), an AI-focused blockchain network, will undergo its inaugural token halving around Dec. 12–14, a pivotal event that echoes Bitcoin’s quadrennial cycle. After this “maturation milestone”, TAO’s issuance rate will be cut from 7,200 tokens per day to 3,600.

The halving cements Bittensor’s hard cap of 21 million TAO (just like BTC’s 21M) and is seen as a key milestone in the network’s maturation”. In the community, bulls have been hyping the “halving = scarcity” narrative for months – daily supply dropping 50% overnight is expected to “fuel scarcity narratives” and amplify TAO’s appeal as the base asset of a decentralized AI economy.

#5 Avalanche Spot ETF Decision

Avalanche (AVAX) could make history this week, as the US SEC faces a Dec. 12 deadline to approve or reject VanEck’s spot Avalanche ETF. This is the final decision date after multiple delays. Approval would mark one of the first mainstream investment vehicles for a “Ethereum-killer” layer-1 token, potentially unlocking new capital for AVAX.

Regulatory watchers are optimistic – Bloomberg ETF analysts Eric Balchunas and James Seyffart put the odds around 90% for approval. They argue that a spot AVAX fund would likely follow the path of recent Bitcoin and Ether ETFs.

#6 Aster’s S4 Buyback Program (Dec. 10)

Aster (ASTER), a DeFi protocol on BNB Chain, is commencing its Season 4 (S4) token buyback program on Dec. 10. Under this program, Aster will allocate 60–90% of all fees collected in Season 4 to buying back ASTER tokens from the open market.

This aggressive buyback scheme is designed to reduce supply and support the token’s price. In fact, the team announced it is accelerating the Phase 4 buybacks, with execution ramped up to roughly $4 million worth of ASTER purchases per day as of Dec. 8. Aster’s developers stated that this acceleration allows them to quickly deploy the fees accumulated since Nov. 10 onto the blockchain to prop up the market “during periods of volatility.”

By their estimates, it will take 8–10 days of these heightened buybacks to catch up, after which daily buybacks will continue at a steady 60–90% of the prior day’s fee revenue for the remainder of Season 4. A dedicated on-chain wallet for the buybacks is to be made public, ensuring transparency as the protocol executes what is essentially a large-scale, programmatic share (token) repurchase.

At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $3.09 trillion.

Bitcoin started the week attempting to reclaim the $92,000 level, a move that hints at early signs of recovery after weeks of volatility and uncertainty. This renewed strength arrives at a critical moment for global markets, as investors turn their attention to one event: the upcoming FOMC meeting. According to a new CryptoQuant report by XWIN Research Japan, the central question is whether the Federal Reserve will finally begin cutting interest rates—a decision that could reshape market expectations heading into 2026.

Historical data provides an important context. During the last two rate-cut announcements on September 17 and October 29, Bitcoin followed a strikingly similar pattern. Prices climbed in the days leading up to each meeting, reflecting optimism and speculation.

Immediately after the announcements, the market experienced a brief bounce, only to fall sharply soon after. This behavior highlights a common reaction in macro-driven markets: although rate cuts are usually seen as bullish, they often fuel a “buy the rumor, sell the news” dynamic in the short term as traders lock in profits.

With Bitcoin hovering below major resistance and macro uncertainty rising again, the coming days may determine whether this attempted recovery evolves into momentum—or fades into another corrective swing.

Market Positioning Meets Macro Reality

Rather than simply repeating past rate-cut reactions, the current setup requires placing Bitcoin’s behavior in the broader macroeconomic landscape—a landscape that looks very different from previous cycles. While XWIN Research highlights the historical “up first, down later” pattern around FOMC cuts, the real story lies in how today’s liquidity conditions interact with on-chain signals.

Stablecoin exchange reserves now reflect not just crypto sentiment but the macro backdrop. With the US nearing the end of quantitative tightening and global liquidity subtly improving, rising stablecoin reserves would confirm that investors are preparing to deploy capital into risk assets.

If reserves remain flat or decline, it may indicate hesitation tied to uncertainty over inflation persistence or concerns about policy missteps.

Funding rates, meanwhile, must be interpreted through the lens of a market recalibrating after a 36% correction while still operating in a high-rate environment. Excessive long leverage during a macro turning point—especially if the Fed cuts earlier than expected—creates the perfect setup for volatility spikes.

Neutral or mildly positive funding, however, would suggest traders are not overextended, allowing Bitcoin to absorb macro news more smoothly.

Ultimately, Bitcoin’s reaction to the FOMC will depend on the interplay between improving macro liquidity conditions and the internal positioning of the market. This cycle’s environment is more complex—and potentially more supportive—than prior rate-cut events, making risk-managed positioning more crucial than prediction.

Weekly Chart Shows Stabilization But Trend Still Vulnerable

Bitcoin’s weekly chart shows the market attempting to stabilize after a sharp multi-week correction, with price hovering around $91,800. The current candle is printing a modest rebound, signaling that buyers are stepping in near the green 100-week moving average, a level that has acted as a cyclical support zone in past downturns. This reaction suggests that long-term participants are defending the structure, even as momentum remains weak.

Despite the bounce, BTC continues to trade well below the 50-week moving average, which has curled downward—evidence that medium-term trend pressure still leans bearish. The breakdown from the $110K–$100K region triggered a decisive shift in sentiment, and the latest consolidation under $95K reflects a market still searching for direction rather than forming a clear recovery trend.

Volume also tells an important story: selling spikes in recent weeks have been met with noticeably softer buy-side volume, indicating that bulls are present but not yet aggressive. Until a sustained surge in demand appears, rallies near the 50-week MA are likely to face resistance.

If Bitcoin holds the 100-week MA and forms higher weekly lows, a recovery phase could build. Failure to maintain this zone, however, would expose deeper downside levels and confirm a broader trend reversal.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Ethereum (ETH) is entering a phase that analysts say resembles the early stages of its strongest market cycles, driven by institutional accumulation, shrinking exchange supply, and new proposals aimed at stabilizing the network’s economics.

Related Reading: ‘Something Big’ Is Coming For XRP, Says Toroso Investments Portfolio Manager

As large investors deepen their presence and developers explore changes that could make transaction fees more predictable, sentiment on Wall Street has shifted sharply recently. For many, the combination of tightening supply and improving fundamentals has created conditions that could support a meaningful repricing.

Exchange Supply Tightens as Institutions Accelerate Accumulation

Ethereum held on centralized exchanges has fallen to its lowest level since the network launched in 2015. Glassnode data shows that balances dropped to 8.7% of the total supply last week, marking a 43% decline since July.

The reduction is tied to staking, layer-2 migration, institutional custody, and long-term treasury allocations, destinations that rarely send tokens back to exchanges.

BitMine Immersion Technologies, now the largest corporate holder of Ether, expanded its position by another $199 million over the weekend. The firm controls $11.3 billion in ETH, representing about 3.08% of supply, and continues buying toward its 5% target.

ETFs have also contributed to the drawdown, with cumulative inflows now above $12 billion. Analysts note that nearly 40% of all ETH is locked in staking or institutional products, creating one of the tightest supply environments the asset has experienced.

Technical analysts point to hidden signs of accumulation. Recent On-Balance Volume readings have broken above resistance, even as the price lingers near $3,050, a divergence that some interpret as indicating buying pressure.

Fee Reform Pushes Forward as Vitalik Buterin Proposes Gas Futures Market

Alongside market activity, a new economic proposal from Vitalik Buterin is drawing attention. The Ethereum co-founder outlined a system for onchain gas futures that would allow users to lock in transaction fees for future time periods.

The mechanism resembles traditional futures markets and is designed to help traders and developers hedge against sudden increases in network demand.

Buterin argues that clearer forward pricing could support businesses that rely on predictable costs, particularly as activity expands across staking, tokenization, and decentralized applications. Although still in its early stages, the idea is viewed as part of a broader effort to make Ethereum more stable as it scales.

Analysts See Conditions Forming for a Larger Cycle

Market commentators increasingly cite a combination of shrinking supply, rising institutional involvement, and improving network efficiency as reasons Ethereum may outperform in the next major cycle.

Some compare current dynamics to Bitcoin eight years ago, noting that Ethereum’s evolving economic model and expanding role in tokenized finance give it a broader set of drivers than in previous cycles.

Related Reading: Trump’s New Security Strategy Leaves Crypto And Blockchain Out

Whether these developments immediately translate into price gains remains uncertain. But with exchange balances at record lows and institutions steadily accumulating, analysts agree that Ethereum is entering a structurally different phase, one defined less by speculation and more by sustained demand.

Cover image from ChatGPT, ETHUSD chart from Tradingview

Bitcoin is attempting to reclaim the $92,000 level as bullish momentum gradually returns after weeks of uncertainty. The market has spent nearly two months in a corrective phase, shedding roughly 36% from its highs, yet signs of stabilization are beginning to emerge. A new CryptoQuant report from analyst Darkfost highlights a striking deviation from typical mid-cycle correction behavior—one that may explain why sentiment is starting to shift.

According to the report, inflows of cryptocurrencies onto Binance remain unusually low, even as Bitcoin has experienced one of its deepest pullbacks of the cycle. Historically, during significant corrections, investors tend to send large amounts of BTC and other assets to exchanges, signaling growing willingness to sell and escalating market fear. This pattern appeared repeatedly in past downturns, often marking periods of capitulation.

But this time, the data suggests something different: investors are not rushing to offload their holdings. Instead, they appear more comfortable holding through volatility, showing patience rather than panic. Such low inflows contrast sharply with prior mid-cycle resets and hint at a more resilient market structure beneath the surface—one where holders may be preparing for the next phase rather than abandoning ship.

A Shift in Inflows Reveals Unusual Investor Behavior

Darkfost notes that today’s data shows a markedly different behavior from what Bitcoin typically displays during major corrections. Instead of focusing on BTC alone, the analysis aggregates total inflows of all cryptocurrencies sent to Binance, offering a broader view of market intent. The logic behind this metric is straightforward: rising inflows signal growing selling pressure, while shrinking inflows indicate that investors prefer to hold rather than exit their positions.

During previous downturns, inflows surged. In April 2024, right after Bitcoin hit a new all-time high at $73,800, total inflows exceeded 200 million coins, reflecting intense selling pressure. A similar spike appeared in December 2024, as BTC broke above $100,000, signaling that investors were preparing to lock in profits.

Today’s environment looks nothing like those periods. Despite experiencing a much deeper correction, inflows are five times lower—and notably stable. Investors are not sending coins to exchanges, which means they’re not eager to sell. Instead, they are sitting through the decline, showing patience rather than panic.

This unusual calm suggests a more confident market structure. If selling pressure continues to fade, this investor restraint could become one of the most constructive signals supporting a future bullish recovery once the correction runs its course.

Bitcoin Price Action Shows Early Signs of Stabilization

Bitcoin’s latest 3-day chart shows the market attempting to stabilize after a sharp two-month correction that pushed the price from above $120,000 to the recent lows near $84,000. The current rebound toward $91,960 reflects improving short-term sentiment, but the broader structure still leans bearish until key levels break.

One of the most important developments is BTC’s interaction with the 200-day moving average (red line). The price dipped below it during the flush-out but has now reclaimed it slightly, a signal that sellers may be losing momentum. Historically, regaining the 200MA on high timeframes marks the first stage of recovery after major corrections. However, confirmation requires follow-through and stronger volume—something that remains limited for now.

The 50MA and 100MA sit well above price, reflecting the depth of the recent decline and acting as overhead resistance. The clustering of these moving averages between $100,000 and $110,000 forms a heavy supply zone. Bulls would need several consecutive strong candles to break back into that region.

Volume has decreased notably during the rebound, suggesting that buyers are still cautious. Until BTC reclaims the $96K–$98K area—where structural resistance and realized-price bands align—this move remains a relief bounce rather than a confirmed bullish reversal.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

The United States’ new national security strategy has renewed debate across the crypto community after omitting any direct reference to digital assets or blockchain technology.

Released by the Trump administration, the document outlines the nation’s long-term security priorities and technological ambitions, yet its silence on crypto stands in contrast with both market momentum and recent political statements.

As global financial systems increasingly integrate digital assets, many observers see the absence as a signal of policy uncertainty at a time when regulatory clarity is becoming more important for industry growth.

Why Has AI Taken the Spotlight

Across its 33 pages, the strategy places artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing at the center of America’s next-generation competition.

The administration states that U.S. technology and standards must “drive the world forward,” underscoring a focus on advanced computing rather than decentralized finance. Digital assets, which had gained prominence through previous remarks from officials, receive no explicit mention.

This stands at odds with comments from President Trump in recent months. In a CBS 60 Minutes interview, he warned that China should not become the global leader in virtual assets and insisted that Bitcoin mining should remain within U.S. borders.

A Subtle Reference, but No Clear Policy

While crypto is not named in the strategy, the document does reference strengthening American “leadership in digital finance and innovation.”

Analysts view this as a broad gesture rather than a firm policy direction, but it leaves open the possibility that digital assets may still influence future regulatory or economic strategies.

This ambiguity comes despite a year of significant pro-crypto actions. Measures such as the GENIUS Act for stablecoin oversight, the formation of a crypto enforcement task force, reduced regulatory pressures on exchanges, and opposition to a central bank digital currency have all shaped expectations.

The establishment of a national Bitcoin reserve, funded through forfeited digital assets, further signals that crypto remains a strategic consideration even if not formally acknowledged in the latest blueprint.

Market Response and Broader Implications

Currently trading around $91,900, Bitcoin briefly fell below $90,000 following the release of the strategy, a move compounded by broader macroeconomic pressures and anticipation of a Federal Reserve rate decision.

The administration’s call for increased defense spending among NATO allies has also raised questions about inflation and monetary policy, factors that could influence investor appetite for digital assets.

For now, the omission leaves the industry navigating a familiar gap of strong political rhetoric, scattered policy initiatives, but no comprehensive framework. As the U.S. centers its priorities around AI and quantum computing, crypto’s position in national strategy remains undefined. Is this the end of the ‘Crypto Administration’?

Cover image from ChatGPT, ETHUSD chart from Tradingview

Institutional investors are quietly reshaping the narrative around XRP, with the latest analysis report from the billion-dollar asset manager WisdomTree confirming what insiders have long suspected. According to the report, XRP is garnering institutional interest and demand on a global scale. While retail traders debate short-term price movements, smart money capital inflows into XRP are surpassing those of almost every other altcoin. 

XRP Dominates Institutional Inflows Across Europe And The Globe

According to an X post by crypto expert Stern Drew, the latest WisdomTree report shows that XRP is the only digital asset attracting consistent institutional demand worldwide. In Europe, XRP has attracted over $549 million in new institutional capital this year, more than three times the inflows into Ethereum. This figure surpasses the total for every altcoin in the market and multi-asset products except Bitcoin. 

In a continent traditionally known for conservative investment strategies, these flows into XRP represent a decisive vote of confidence from European institutional investors. Drew has revealed that the demand for XRP has also extended beyond Europe. Outside the United States, XRP has captured roughly $252 million in fresh institutional capital just this year. 

By comparison, Bitcoin products absorbed only $268 million in smart money capital. Given that BTC products are more than 25 times the size of XRP products, this suggests that institutions have directed nearly 25 times more new capital into XRP than into Bitcoin. Drew has suggested that this increase in flows indicates careful, deliberate positioning rather than short-term speculative activity, which highlights the market’s growing preference for XRP. 

US Adoption Signals Broader Shift

In his post, Drew also revealed the growing institutional interest in XRP within the US. This year, a new synthetic XRP product attracted $241 million, surpassing flows into Solana and all other altcoin products in the same category. This surge came at a time when the two largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum, collectively saw $6.4 billion exit their ETF structures. 

Drew revealed that the dramatic outflows from BTC and ETH signaled that institutional investors were diversifying from established assets while selectively accumulating XRP. The WisdomTree report also showed that, excluding Europe and the US, regions such as Asia and other global markets are increasing their exposure to XRP. 

Surprisingly, this surge in global institutional demand is occurring during periods of market stress rather than euphoric rallies. The XRP price is currently down by more than 15% this year and trading at just $2.1. The cryptocurrency has also been experiencing significant choppy action over the past few months, failing to reclaim former highs above $3.

Despite this structural weakness, institutions continue to accumulate XRP in large quantities, indicating a clear bias toward the cryptocurrency. Drew has also revealed that smart money views XRP as a settlement-grade asset, well-suited for integration into the future architecture of regulated digital finance. He highlights that, as global institutional preference increasingly concentrates on XRP, price movements might follow later.

South Korea moved to tighten rules for cryptocurrency platforms after a major breach at Upbit that sent shockwaves through the local market and government halls.

Government Pushes Bank-Level Rules

According to government and industry reports, the Upbit breach on November 27, 2025 involved the transfer of about 104 billion tokens on the Solana network in roughly 54 minutes.

The value of the tokens was reported at about 44.5 billion won, equal to roughly $30–36 million. Upbit said it would cover customer losses from its own funds, but officials say current law does not force exchanges to reimburse users automatically.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) have begun drafting rules that would hold virtual asset service providers to bank-level liability standards, requiring compulsory compensation for customers hit by hacks or system failures.

Past Failures Put Pressure On Regulators

Reports have disclosed that the five biggest exchanges in Korea — Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit and Gopax — were cited in official data showing 20 system failures between 2023 and September 2025.

Those incidents affected more than 900 users and caused combined losses of about 5 billion won. Regulators say those prior problems, plus the recent Solana transfers, highlighted gaps in consumer protection and operational stability that current rules don’t close.

Exchanges Face Higher Costs And Fines

Under the proposed measures, exchanges would need to meet stronger IT security and custody standards, submit to regular audits, and maintain clearer recovery plans.

Penalties are also being rethought. Current maximum fines were a fixed 5 billion won in earlier regulations; new drafts reportedly include fines up to 3% of an exchange’s annual revenue for serious breaches.

That kind of exposure could push firms to raise spending on security and insurance, and it may change how they price services.

What It Means For Users And Markets

According to industry analysts, forcing mandatory compensation would boost consumer confidence. That is the stated aim. But restoring trust will likely take time.

Some exchanges have already promised voluntary payouts after the Upbit incident, yet a legal requirement would mark a big shift in how crypto platforms are treated compared with banks and electronic payment firms under the Electronic Financial Transactions Act.

Timeline And Lawmaking Steps

Based on reports, the draft rules are currently under internal review within the FSC and will need to pass through formal legislative processes before becoming law.

Lawmakers and regulators are deliberating exactly which parts of bank rules should apply to crypto firms, and how to avoid stifling competition or innovation while protecting customers.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Ripple and the XRP ecosystem have entered one of their most important weeks to date. A series of regulatory and market-structure breakthroughs has pushed the token deeper into the core of federally supervised financial infrastructure, and this carries implications far beyond short-term sentiment, starting with its advancement into new territory under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

A New Regulatory Alignment Surrounds XRP

Bitnomial, a CFTC-regulated derivatives and spot-crypto platform, secured approval to include XRP within its market structure of the first US-regulated spot-crypto market. This allowed the Chicago-based exchange to activate a supervised spot-XRP contract in the United States, as well as accept the token as margin collateral across its derivatives products. 

The move placed XRP in the same operational category as traditional commodities that must meet liquidity and settlement standards before entering federally regulated markets.

Behind these approvals sits a story that many observers initially missed. An market participant who goes by the name SonOfaRichard on the social media platform pointed out the significance of what had unfolded. 

He noted that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), three agencies with entirely different remits, moved in the same direction in the same week. 

According to him, the altcoin effectively transitioned into a commodity-grade collateral asset within a federally regulated derivatives ecosystem, and he described this not as a narrative but as plumbing. This is the same standard applied to gold, FX, treasuries, and LME metals.

Secondly, the SEC did not object to the CFTC’s move with Bitnomial, and that silence carried far more weight than a formal statement, because it pointed to an unusual moment of alignment between agencies that typically operate with different mandates on XRP. 

Thirdly, Bitnomial itself became the quiet kingmaker in this entire development, not because of its brand presence or daily trading volume, but because its regulatory position places it in integration with clearing flows that plug directly into institutional pipes. A platform like that does not list XRP unless regulators have already determined what it is.

An Exciting Phase For The Token’s Outlook

Lastly, the DTCC moved toward 24×5 settlement windows. According to the commentator, this move was about interoperability with digital collateral, tokenized treasuries, and real-time clearing.

Taken together, these milestones are not surface-level headlines. They represent a change in how XRP is being integrated. The asset is now accepted as a collateral currency, listed under CFTC oversight, and actively trading inside the country’s first regulated spot-crypto framework.

Other examples of the change in XRP integration on a global scale include the Singapore MPI license for Ripple and Vanguard, allowing XRP ETF access, among a few others.

All these recent advancements by Ripple now point to the ecosystem entering a phase that investors have waited years to witness. The question now may no longer be whether institutions will adopt the token, but how quickly they integrate it into the flows of modern digital finance.